The Philippines
–
a great place where it's possible to retire and live comfortably on US$1000 or
less a month.

The islands are well known for being home to
expatriates from all over the world, many from the US, UK and Europe and
Australia. They are able to lead an exciting but inexpensive,
relaxing lifestyle among beautiful and friendly people, in a warm tropical
climate. Yes there are cyclones occasionally, but that never stopped Americans
living on their Gulf Coast! The Republic of Philippines is also a
favourite
retirement location for retired US military personnel.

Many thousands of these people are living the 'Philippines
dream'. See the Philippines Retirement Story
below about the real life experience of just one ex-US military
man (there are many American and other retired servicemen and
personnel living comfortably in the
Philippines), Check the various links below to learn more about each location
including the variety of accommodation.

Foreign Retirement in the Philippines

There are numerous islands suitable for
tropical retirement. Retirement savings, pensions and ongoing income will
allow comfortable living. Even as little as $500 a month could allow
retirement in a rural
province. In Visayas you will
findBoracay andCebu. On Mindanao there is Davao
or Puerto Galera, Mindoro where
you can live very well on $1,000 and with $1,500 you might even
choose Luzon Island with either the Philippines capital
Manila,
Subic Bay or popular expat 'hangout' and
entertainment center Angeles City.

Note that domestic help such as maids,
housekeepers, cooks and drivers are part of Philippines
culture and live-in staff costs from $30 a month!

Some of the many attractions of retirement in the
Philippines:

FILIPINOS ARE
BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE!!
(guapa
and guapo)

Cheap accommodation

Beaches

Scuba diving

Boating,
Fishing

Off-road 4WD adventures

Camping

Hiking

Swimming

Golf

Swinging in a hammock

Bar hopping

Nightclubbing

Movies

Restaurants

Modern Shopping Malls

Philippines Retirement Story

John Welch's life was fading. Like a well-worn pair of Jeans, he
was losing the colour of his youth. Retired at 66 years of age, he just
sat around his home.

Of course, it hadn't always been like that. He'd had a good life. It just stalled.

He was 18 when he joined the US Air Force in 1952. An aircraft engine
mechanic, he worked on World War II-era F-51 Mustang to F-15 Eagles. On
the ground floor of Air Force air power development, he moved a lot and
saw the world. He loved his job, the service and the lifestyle.

When he retired as a master sergeant in 1974, he went to work for
an aircraft company. After 24 years there, he retired again. But living
in Apple Valley, California was just plain boring. There was no
excitement. He wanted thrills back in his life again.

"I was wasting my life," he said. "Each day I tried to find something to do to keep busy." Most days that didn't happen.

Then, about three years ago, Welch received a letter from
his old pal Ralph Milward, a retired Army warrant officer who lived in
Angeles City,
near the former US Air Force base at
Clark Field
in the Philippines.

(Clark Air Base is 40 miles (60 km)
northwest of Manila, the Philippines capital, on Luzon Island
where there is also the Clark Field Holiday
Inn Resort. The ex-base is now called the Clark Special Economic Zone, and
is located on the northwest side of Angeles City in the province of
Pampanga.)

"I told him to get off his butt and visit me," Milward said. "What did he have to lose?"

A little hesitant at first, Welch eventually relented
after visiting one of the free
dating sites for Filipina to see what might be in store for him. He certainly wasn't
disappointed. He also knew there were many retired GIs living happily in the
Philippines, many with Filipina partners. However, military personnel
may prefer a new partner from their own 'ranks', so
to speak.

"Ralph told me to grab my AWOL bag and get over here," Welch said.
The visit changed his life. Within days he knew he had no future in
California. "So I'm still here."

He was alive again. Now when he's bored, he has his pal to keep him
company. And he can hang out with other retirees at the Veterans of
Foreign Wars post.

"This is the life I've always wanted," Welch said.

Milward first went to Angeles, as the locals call it, in 1993 for a VFW convention. He met a
local woman and fell in love. He went back home,
resigned from his GS-12 civil service job, returned to Angeles City and
married her.

"I've never been happier," Milward said.

Both men have been dumbstruck by the hypnotic lure of the Philippines.

That's nothing new, though. The islands have attracted retirees
since the first American GIs set foot there after the Spanish Civil War
ended in 1899. It continued to entice them to stay – even after U.S.
forces started pulling out in 1991 following the Mount Pinatubo
eruption.

Today there are several thousand American retirees living in the
Philippines. Some 1,500 live in
Angeles, once home to
Clark Air Base.
Other cities include Manila, Mindoro's
Puerto Galera,
Davaoand more.There are expatriates from dozens of other countries and backgrounds too, living in cities and communities
scattered around the thousands of islands of this 'tropical paradise'
(well almost!)
called the Philippines.

Catch them on any given day and, like Welch, most will say they'll never leave.

Relationships and Marriage in the
Philippines

It is common knowledge that numerous Americans,
Canadians, British, Australians, Europeans and
others have married Filipina. Many of
those couples met before the Western man or woman had even visited the Philippines. There
has been a lot of bad publicity about Mail Order brides and similar matchmaking
services, but it's a fact that many people meet for the first time online, and
successful relationships are not uncommon.

But instead of learning from your own mistakes
first, it's wise to find out how to avoid the possible pitfalls of a
relationship or marriage with someone not only from another country, but from a
different culture.

The
author of "Retirement
Living in the Philippines" has 30-odd years of entrepreneurial
experience – in the USA as well as having lived in the Philippines, Papua New
Guinea, Hawaii, Alaska, and Fiji. He feels that the most difficult aspect of
foreign retirement in the Philippines is not just getting information, but
involves four things: making the decision, having a plan of action before making
the move, having enough courage to overcome fear and anxiety, and having a
further plan of action for at least five years after arrival in the Philippines.

I also recommend
the cheap but invaluable Philippines Guides
now at Amazon.com from
Perry Gamsby, an Australian who now divides his time between the two
countries and married to a Filipina. Having made many mistakes himself, he
wanted to help his fellow expats avoid them by first writing
Philippine Dreams, an
ideal first guide for foreigners interested in living in the Philippines.

All the Philippines Guidesand other titles by Perry Gamsby are now available from Amazon in printed
and also Kindle editions. (Also from Amazon UK)

Many guides are written to tell you HOW to
do something. In the case of the Philippines, some are full of facts and figures
about the country and do supply answers to many questions and are in this sense,
valuable to the potential retiree or long term resident of the islands.

Accommodation
in Angeles City (Pampanga
province), formerly the USAF base at Clark Field, very popular
with American expats, is wide and varied. It ranges from apartments, condos and residential hotels to
spacious villas with pools, in safe, secure compounds.

As a first stop you might want to stay at the
Clark Field Holiday Inn. It has tons of facilities, and you are in easy reach
of everything Angeles has to offer. It's an ideal 'base' from which to begin your search for your
Philippines retirement home. Room rates are cheap when you book online. Airport Shuttle service too.

Apartments and condos in Manila & Makati

The
range of accommodation in Manila 'Metro' is
as one might expect, wide and varied, with residential hotels, apartments,
condo's, houses and villas priced to suit all budgets. Vacation rentals may be a
good starting point; very different from staying in a hotel, and on a per person
basis, a lot cheaper. Click any listing on the right for full details.

New Elegant 2 Bedroom Makati CondoMakati, Philippines Vacation RentalsThis sparkling condo unit will provide you with an elegant, comfortable place to relax, work, or plan your nearby night on the town. Within walking distance of Makati’s booming business district and ebullient nightlife. Min. Vacation Stay: 30 days

As an example, in a popular Manila Bay high-rise like
Baywatch Tower,
(see right) for around $500 per month
it's possible to rent a one-bedroom condo with marble floors, central
air-conditioning, balcony, fitted kitchen with marble counter tops and
waterfront views. It's conveniently located near the
Mall of Asia, Manila Yacht Club, US Embassy, Robinson Mall, Casino Filipino,
seaside restaurants, ferry boat rides etc. Condominiums usually have a swimming pool, gymnasium and sauna, restaurant and laundry for
residents and many apartments overlook Manila Bay, seen below.

Owning or renting property in the Philippines

When you ready to consider getting a property in
the Philippines, Perry Gamsby, a long-time Philippines resident has written this
comprehensive guide book, the Philippines Property Primer.
Not only where to look, but what to look out for, and more. This will be an
invaluable investment itself!

All the Philippines Guidesand other titles by Perry Gamsby are now available from Amazon in printed
and also Kindle editions. (Also from Amazon UK)

Leasing out your vacation/retirement
home

Many foreigners who want to spend a part of their
time in the Philippines or other tropical location, purchase or lease a property
there. It may be a condo, house or villa they're not using the whole year. It
could also be a guest house or hotel. An important aspect of renting out
property to earn extra income is managing reservations and collecting payment.
Villarenters.com has a great system that brings owners and renters for
properties all over the world.

Visa Options for Staying in the
Philippines

The Philippines government has new
requirements for retirees which
includes the pension-based SRRV and allows a foreigner at least 50
years old with a monthly pension of $800 or more to hold a permanent
residence visa in the Philippines in exchange for a $10,000 investment or
deposit and a $1400 application fee. This is suitable for a foreigner not
married to a Philippine citizen. Potential retirees can also apply for permanent
residence at a Philippines Embassy or Consulate before they arrive. Visit MyPhilippineLife.com for further
information and also the
Philippines Retirement Authority
website.

As long as you do not intend working or running a business in the Philippines,
it's also possible to retire on a tourist visa, and many do; especially those
who either do not want or qualify for a
retirement visa. It costs $20 per month to stay on a
tourist visa, and you can do it indefinitely provided you leave the country
for at least one day, once a year. Though you are officially a tourist,
you have effectively retired in the Philippines. For the annual trip
there are several options, such as spending a few days making a trip to Hong
Kong or Thailand. Package deals are available costing less than $300. You can
also check Philippine Hotel
accommodation.

For many single men, their Philippines Dream will
mean a relationship or marriage. See above.

Marriage with a Filipina citizen (Philippines woman)
allows you to live in retirement in the Philippines without the above
limitations, other than an annual visit to an immigration office. If you want to
work or run a business, then learn more here.